Can-opener



0. W. EKMAN.

CAN OPENER.

. No. 417,010. Patented Dec. 10, 1889-.

ummnnmlllllllllllll UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTTO IV. EKMAN, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS.

CAN-OPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,010, dated December 10, 1889.

Application filed September 13, 1889. Serial No, 323,838. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTTO \V. EKMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moline, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Oan-Openers, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

My invention in can-openers consists in the improved construction hereinafter fully disclosed in the description, drawings, and claim.

The objects of my invention are to provide a can-opener having a pointed or curved cutting-blade and an overhanging fulcrum-arm with claw formation upon the end of said fulcrum-arm, and to provide such a claw formation upon the fulcrum-awn which may easily be sharpen ed when worn. These objects are attained in the can-opener illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which the same reference letters indicate the same parts, and in whicl1- Figure 1 represents a side view of my improved can-opener; Fig. 2, an edge view of the end of the same, seen from the side of the f ulcrum-arm; Fig. 3, a perspective view of the cutting-tool; and Fig. 4 is an end view of the same.

In the drawings, the letter A indicates the curved and pointed cutting-blade, B the fulcrum-arm, and O the handle, which may be integral with the blade and fulcrum-arm, as shown in the drawings, or secured upon a shank extending from said parts. The cutting-blade is preferably formed with a curved cutting-edge and with a sharp point for penetrating the metal of the can to be opened. The fulcrunrarm is curved, overhangs the cutting-edge, and extends to a short distance within the point of the blade. At the outer end said arm is formed with a claw having two points D, which are formed by grinding, filing, or otherwise cutting the arm down to an edge, and thereupon cutting a V-shaped groove E in the outer edge of the arm down to the aforesaid edge or back, so as to form a V-shapcd groove or channel in said edge which separates the claw-points. The end of the fulcrum-arm is wider than the blade and preferably wider than the inner portion of said arm, so that the claws D will project at both sides of the cutting-blade and form a broad bearing or fulcrum. This fulcrum arm will have the advantage over fulcrum-arms heretofore employed in can-openers, which have either been rounded to form cams or been formed with round bearings, in that the claw-points will bite into the metal of the can to be opened and prevent slipping, so that each cut of the blade may be nearly the en tire length of the curved cutting-edge The claw formation will also have the advantage that it may easily be sharpened when worn, as it is only necessary to grind or file the outer edge of the arm to sharp points and there upon to widen the V-shaped groove between the clawpoints until they are perfectly sharp.

- The can-opener may be stamped out of sheet metal and have the back groove cut in the fulcrum-arm by a simple filing or grinding device, so that it may be manufactured at a comparatively small cost.

I claim as my improvement- As a new article of manufacture, a canopencr consisting of a curved cutting blade having a sharp point, and an overhangingfulcrumarm having a double-pointed claw formed at its outer edge, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OTTO EKMAN.

Witnesses:

OSCAR PEAL, J. HEMMINGTON, 

